Monday, September 28, 2009

The U.S.federal minimum wagerecently increased 70 cents from $6.55 to $7.25 per hour. Who will be affected by this boost? Cashiers and fast food workers? Yes, but some minimum wage jobs also come with surprisingly hefty responsibilities.

Frompreschool teachersto hospitals aides, there are many people in critical roles whose salaries don't necessarily reflect the importance of their professional contributions. You may be surprised to find out who's making the bare minimum.

An EMT may pull you from acar wreckand keep you alive on your way to the hospital -- and maybe for as little as $9 an hour? New EMTs must be brave, decisive, compassionate, and knowledgeable. Fortunately, their salaries go up after they get some experience under their belts.

Do you find all of those little pills confusing when you have more than one to take? Your local pharmacy technician processes hundreds of prescriptions a day and absolutely must keep the blue ones separate from the green ones. The wrong dose or medication can have possibly fatal consequences. These folks deserve a big thank-you for the work they do, but they'd likely settle for a raise.

When grandpa or grandma requires full-time care in a facility, or you end up in the hospital for surgery or an extended stay, a CNA might be the person you interact with most and rely upon for your essential needs. Plus, these dedicated individuals also often provide a little human interaction when the hours in the hospital seem too long.

4.Preschool Teacher

Bottom 10% earn:$8.19 per hourU.S. median salary:$10.50 per hourJob description:Instruct children in activities designed to promote social, physical, and intellectual growth needed for primary school in preschool,daycare center, orother child developmentfacility. May be required to hold state certification.

Have you ever been at a preschool or daycare facility and thought, "Wow, that teacher is so patient and caring." That's because preschool teachers are responsible for a group of active, inquisitive kids who get hungry, have occasional meltdowns, or don't feel like sitting down -- all day long. These folks are critical to your child's development and education. And, they may not make enough to support themselves without a second job or income.

You wouldn't be surprised to buy a hot dog at the fair from a young person making close to minimum wage, but what about the person running your favorite ride -- the one with all the loop-dee-loops, drops and spins? It's surprising that these workers don't make much more than their concession-stand counterparts considering the complexity of some of the rides they're operating.

6. Line Cook

Bottom 10% earn:$7.25 per hourU.S. median salary:$8.98 per hourJob description:Prepare and cook food in a restaurant. Duties of the cooks are limited to preparation of a few basic items and normally involve operating large-volume single-purpose cooking equipment.

In the fast-paced work environment of a restaurant kitchen, line cooks ensure that meals are prepared to the chefs' exacting standards. Often these folks have completed pricey degrees at culinary schools and this is their first job after graduation. They're skilled with knives and the finer points of making a cream sauce. Yet, their wage is sometimes better suited to heating up a frozen dinner.

7. Lifeguard

Bottom 10% earn:$6.89 per hourU.S. median salary:$8.18 per hourJob description:Monitor recreational areas, such as pools, beaches, or ski slopes to provide assistance and protection to participants.

Do you have the strength and skill to pull a drowning person from a crowded lake and resuscitate them?Lifeguardsmust be able to perform this important task, plus spend long hours getting kids to stop running on the edge of the pool and make sure lap swimmers share their lanes properly. Lifeguards literally help everyone stay alive.

8. Nanny

Bottom 10% earn:$7.51 per hourU.S. median salary:$10.31 per hourJob description:Attend to children at schools, businesses, private households, and child-care institutions. Perform a variety of tasks, such as dressing, feeding, bathing, and overseeing play.

Most people agree that you can't put a price tag on a parent's work because it takes full focus and energy to do well. So why is it that nannies often earn so little for taking care of those same children? From getting kids up, dressed and fed in the morning to making sure they arrive on time to piano lessons and soccer practice, nannies often exhibit the exceptional patience and resourcefulness needed to keep a family running.

9. Automobile Mechanic

Bottom 10% earn:$7.78 per hourU.S. median salary:$10.95 per hourJob description:Repair automobiles, trucks, buses, and other vehicles. Master mechanics repair virtually any part on the vehicle or specialize in the transmission system.

When you take your car in to be repaired, you expect the mechanic -- whether brand new or a seasoned pro -- to quickly identify the problem and get your car back on the road again. It's complicated work that requires a great deal of knowledge, skill, and attention to detail. In time, most mechanics earn more for their toil.

10.Tax Preparer

Bottom 10% earn:$7.16 per hourU.S. median salary:$9.15 per hourJob description:Prepare tax returns for individuals or small businesses without the background or responsibilities of an accredited orcertified public accountant.

What you do or do not tell Uncle Sam duringtax seasonis very important for your bank account and your peace of mind. Maybe you do your own taxes, but many people trust their tax returns to someone else. A tax preparer enters all of your data into your forms before an accountant double-checks their work. It's an important job that needs to be done right.

NOTE: While pay rates vary from state to state, the jobs listed generally pay at or near minimum wage. Included, as well, is a job description fromPayScale.comthat lists job duties and the national median hourly rate a person makes in their first year on the job, according to PayScale.com. Some people earn less than this rate.

Career websites typically compile a listing of jobs that pay $25 an hour. Thelist of professions-- and the career training you need to pass the muster of recruiters -- can be daunting. But you don't necessarily need a post-graduate degree to qualify for a job that pays several hundred dollars a day.

While it may be true that helicopter pilots, high-tech administrators, andcivil engineersearn $25 an hour or more, so do many other professionals in careers that require only anassociateorbachelor's degreeto leap onto the playing field.

Of course, you add to your hourly earnings by continuing your education, taking certification courses or advanced degrees that ultimately boost on-the-job responsibilities along with earnings.

Seven careers you might have overlooked paid workers $25 an hour in 2008, meaning you may be able to earn more performing the same role today. These 2008 salaries may also rise by the time you complete an online degree or career training program to pursue future job openings. Let's look at the education you'll need to land a job:

Electrical andElectronic Engineering TechnicianCompanies that design, test, and sell electrical and electronics devices need professionals to staff their labs. You won't need amaster's degreein engineering to earn good wages. Mostengineering technicianscompleteassociate degreesin engineering at trade schools orcommunity collegesto prepare for the field. In 2008, the mean hourly wage for engineering technicians was $25.96, according to theBureau of Labor Statistics(BLS).

Human Resources RecruiterIn many cases, you can earn more an hour placing people in jobs than the salaries they'll receive when hired. That's what you call economic irony. And, if you remain in your human resources (HR) job, you may be able to build a hefty network and open your own personnel consulting company. To get going, enroll in an associate's or bachelor's degree program in business or human resources. In 2008, HR recruiters took home $25.90 an hour.

Paralegal or Legal AssistantAttorneys that represent clients in local, state, and federal courts are swamped with research and paperwork duties. Hence, jobs for paralegals are expected to grow by 22 percent during the 2006-2016 decade. You can prepare by attending an online associate's or bachelor's degree program inparalegal studies. In 2008, paralegals earned just below $25 an hour ($23.46). However,top earnerstook home $73,450 for the year, making this a solid investment in a two-year education.

Respiratory TherapistBreathe easy. Depending on the employer, many a respiratory therapist can land a job with as little as a two-year degree. More often, however, hospitals are looking for a bachelor's or master's degree to advance in the profession. All states require licensing. Job openings are projected to grow by 19 percent from 2006-2016. In 2008,respiratory therapistsearned $25.55 an hour.

Police OfficerThe physical requirements for a police officer's job are now legendary, thanks to the entertainment media. But with most agencies requiring new recruits to take departmental training, the baseline classroom training provided by an onlineassociate's degreein law enforcement orcriminal justicecan greatly improve your chances of landing a job. In 2008,police officersand sheriff's deputies earned $25.39 and hour. And that's not counting shift differential compensation or overtime.

Advertising Sales AgentWith Americans becoming more cautious about their spending, companies are relying more than ever on well-placed advertising. Advertising sales agents take jobs with agencies, media companies, and corporate promotions departments. If you love closing a deal and being compensated for it, then enroll in anundergraduate degree programin advertising, journalism, public relations, business, communications, or new media. In 2008, advertising sales agents took home $25.56 an hour.

Interior DesignerMore than 25 percent of allinterior designersare self-employed. You're the boss and set your own hours. Jobs for the other 75 percent of working interior designers are predicted to rise by 19 percent during the 2006-2016 decade. You can prepare for the role by enrolling in an associate's or bachelor'sdegree programat a college or professional trade school. Or shoot for the stars and take classes in interior set design to work in the entertainment industry. Hourly pay for interior designers in 2008 averaged $24.53, just below the $25/hr mark.

Woodrow Aames has written articles and profiles forYahoo!, Microsoft Network, Microsoft Encarta, and other websites and print magazines around the world.